The Fake Engagement

“This has nothing to do with him.”

“You know he’d like you more being a family man. Was yesterday a spur-of-the-moment thing?” she asked.

“You know damn well it was,” he said. “I did not plan what happened yesterday.”

“So you just happened to drag me into the pool house conveniently without a condom?” she asked.

“Damn it, Eliza. I know you think I’m great and powerful and wonderful, but even my skill has limits. I didn’t make you go that way, did I? The only reason we were near the pool house was because that was the direction you took. Not me. I was following you. If you’d gone back to the house, we would’ve gone to my bedroom, where there are plenty of condoms,” he said. “You also didn’t push me away.”

“Oh, right, so it is all my fault now, is it? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Damn it, Eliza, I’m saying I can’t get enough of you. The moment I’m near you, I can’t think. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before, and you’re driving me crazy only seeing the bad things.” He growled. He wanted to say more, but the doorbell rang. “Fuck!”

Eliza glanced behind her. “Look, I’m sorry. I know how important this deal is for you. We won’t argue while he’s here.”

“I don’t want to argue with you when he’s gone.”

“Preston, I don’t know what you want from me.”

He was going to tell her straight, but of course, the bell rang again. It was getting in the damn way.

Eliza moved toward the door, and he followed her, putting a hand on the base of her back. He forced a smile to his lips when he caught sight of Aguire.

“Mr. Aguire,” Eliza said. “Pleasure as always.”

“This place is really something. You only just snapped this place up?” he asked.

“Yeah, my sister-in-law told me all about it, and what can I say, I love it, and so does Eliza.” He put his hands on her shoulders.

Having Aguire here wasn’t what he wanted. Being back in Westcliffe Heights had started to change his priorities.

“This place is amazing. I am surprised, Mr. Boone,” he said.

“What is there to be surprised about?” Preston asked.

“I never pegged you as a small-town guy.”

“Born and raised here. This is my hometown.”

“I get that with all the Boone properties. You’ve got it made here, son. What made you leave and go to the city?”

He rubbed Eliza’s shoulders. “Since I was a kid, I had this need to know I could make it on my own. It wasn’t that I wasn’t grateful for all that my parents did, I was. I love them for the life they’ve given me, but they have also told me what is important in life. It took me some time and lost direction, but I now know what I want out of life. More than I’ve ever known.”

Aguire nodded. “That, I can understand. The path to success is often a rocky road with misdirected priorities. I respect that. I had the same epiphany myself. It can be a lonely road. May I have a tour?”

“Of course,” Preston said.

He took Eliza’s hand, and rather than talk business, he took Aguire on the tour. When he didn’t have a clue what to do with the room, he let Eliza take over, directing her own thoughts and feelings on how to decorate the house.

Before too long, two hours had gone, and they stood in the garden.

Aguire smiled. “When I was told that you were engaged to your assistant, I thought it was a load of bullshit to get me to agree to my land. Seeing the two of you, I know the truth. There is real love there, and I can put my faith in a man who is willing to take a leap like that.” Aguire held out his hand. “We can sit down and talk about the fine details, but the land you want is yours. I have faith in what you do.”

Preston shook the man’s hand.

“I better be getting back,” Aguire said.

They moved through the house and let Aguire out the front door. Preston gave him a final wave as he got to his car at the gate.

Stepping back into the house, he took a deep breath.

“You got it,” Eliza said.

She moved toward the door, but he grabbed her arm. “Eliza, don’t go.”

“Preston, this wasn’t supposed to happen. The plan was to tell a little lie to your parents. It has gotten more elaborate, and right now, I cannot deal with just how … far everything is going. I need to take a walk. To clear my head.”

There was so much he wanted to say to get her to stay so they could talk, but it remained lodged in his throat.

The house fucking mocked him with its silence. Back in the city, he’d often closed his office door just to enjoy the silence so he could think. Now he wanted Eliza, he’d take Aguire if he could just to have a conversation.